Hame-fastener.



Jose vb 3am J. BELWAY.

'HAME FASTENER.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 25, I911.

1,289,091.. Patented. Dec. 31, 1918.

INVENTOR ATTORNEY m: Ion-n nun w. mmuma, umsmucmn "illTE HAME-FASTENER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 31, 1918.

Application filed July 25, 1917. Serial No. 182,807.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH BELVVAY, a subject of the King of Great Britain, residin at Rosswood, in the Province of British (iolumbia and Dominion of Canada, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Heme-Fasteners, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to hame fasteners and more particularly to improvements therein whereby the hame may be readily fastened or unfastened while in position about the collar.

This invention has for one of its principal objects the provision of a fastener of this character which consists of a clasp member disposed between the upper ends of the hame and linked to the latter in a manner capable of retaining them in various adjusted positions.

A further object of the invention is to provide a fastener having a spring pressed lever, and link means adapted for connection to the hames, one of said link means being yieldably retained in engagement with said fastener by means of said spring ressed lever.

With the above and other objects in view my invention consists in the details of construction, arrangement and combination of parts as will be hereinafter more fully described in the following specification and pointed out in the accompanying drawings, wherein- Figure l is a view in side elevation of the improved hame fastener,

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view thereof,

Fig. 3 is a top plan View of the same, and

Fig. 1 is an end view.

My improved hame fastener is adapted for securing the free ends of the hame and is therefore to be placed above the upper end of the collar between the hame sections. It consists primarily of a saddle member similar in construction to the handle of a pocket knife, being provided with the side walls 1 and 2 respectively, held in spaced relation by a spring member 3 positioned longitudinally of the inner faces of said side walls and in proximity to one edge thereof. Said side walls have extended portions 13 producing shoulders 8 as seen in Fig. 1. The spring member 3 is provided with a thickened portion 1 and a thinner movable end portion or tongue 5 adapted to bear against the heel 6 of a lever 7.

The sides of the saddle member are provided at their outer ends with straight edges 10. Suitable bolts or ther fastening means 11 are inserted through the sides 1 and 2 and the spring 3 for securing the parts in their respective positions, while the bolt 12 extends through the extended portions 13 of the sides to provide a pivot for the lever 7.

The lever 7 comprises an elongated member having a heel portion 6 which is adapted to be secured between the extended portions 13 of the sides 1 and 2 and is pivotally mounted to revolve about the bolt 12 as previously described. The movable end or tongue 5 of the spring 3 is adapted to bear against the edge of the heel 6 for exerting tension upon the 'latter so that the lever 7 may be normally retained in looking position between the sides 1 and 2. Extending forwardly from the upper edge of the heel 6 is a narrow shank 1 1, terminating in a curved end or tongue 15. Secured to or formed on opposite faces of the lever 7 and conforming to the narrow shank thereof are side strips 16 which terminate at one end at the point where the shank 14 is joined to the heel 6, while at the other end they terminate abruptly adjacent the tongue 15, thus providing shoulders 17 which rest against the straight edges 10 of the casing when the lever is in looking position. It will thus be seen that these side strips not only provide an abutment for limiting the movement of the tongue 15 of the lever between the walls of the casing, but also add to the symmetry of the device by preventing the formation of any abutments or obstructions, since it will be noticed that the strips 16 are positioned on both sides of the narrow shank 14: of the lever so as to lie parallel to and in alinement with the side faces of the walls 1 and 2.

A connecting link 18 is positioned at one end of the casing or saddle member, being pivotally engaged with the bolt 11. This be connected to one of hame by any suitable means, while a second link 19 is provided to be connected in like manner to the opposite section of the hame. The link, however, is not permanently connected to the casing 1 as is the case with link 18, but is to be adapted for releasable engagement with the easlink 18 is adapted to the sections of the ing, so that it can be readily removed therefrom when it is desired to unfasten the hame from about a horse collar. The link 19 is adapted to be inserted over the end 15 of the lever when the latter is opened and moved along the shank thereof until it is received within a recess 20 formed in the heel of the lever between an thereof and the shank with the shoulders 8.

A base plate 22 is adapted to be secured across the bottom edges of the sides 1 and 2 so as to cover the spring 3, said plate being held in engagement with the casing by means of rivets or other suitable fastening means 23 extending through the-thickened portion 4 of the spring as shown. 7

In attaching this fastener in place, it is again to be recalled that it is disposed adj acent the upper end of the horse collar so that it is loosely supported upon the base plate 22. The ink 18 is then connected in a convenient manner to one section of the haine, while the link 19 is in like manner connected to the opposite section of the hame. The hame sections are now in condition to be drawn tightly in engagement with the collar. This is effected by first opening the lever 7 of the fastener, during which action it will be noticed that the free end 5 of the spring is moved back against the base plate 22 by the action of the lever heel 6. The link 19 having been adjusted over the end of the lever in the manner above explained and brought to rest Within the recess 20, the lever is released and the spring end 5, acting against the heel 6, causes the lever to be snapped closed for retaining the link 19 in engagement with the fastener. When it is desired to release the hame secextended portion 21 1-1 and coincident tions, the lever is simply opened back like the blade of a pocket knife, and in being pulled back it is to be notedthat the extended portion 21 of the heel of the lever engages the link 19 so as to throw it out of engagement with the shoulder 8, at the same time. The link 19 is then slipped over the lever and the hame sections are thus released. 7

It is thought that from the above description, the operation and construction of this device can be readily understood, and therefore, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is V A fastener ofthe class described comprising a base plate, side walls having extended portions providing shoulders, a spring" se' cured between the side walls havi'i'ig a tongue portion'adj'acent the extended portions of the side walls, a lever consisting of a heel pivoted between the extended por tions of the side walls and abutting the tongue of said spring, a narrow shank extending from the outer edge of said heel and producing a recess coincident with the shoulders in said side walls, an upturned tongue normally held in place between portions of the side walls by the action of said spring, side strips secured to the shankof said lever from its shoulder to ,itstongue, said strips abutting said side walls, and a link held by said lever against said shoul ders when the same is in closed position. 7

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOSEPH BELWAY. Witnesses FRANK PHIscADoR, W. MEGGESSE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissionerot'iatents, Washington, D. 0. 

